Crank press



Jan. 2, 1945. R. 6. LE TQURNEAU 2,366,272

CRANK PRESS Filed July 15, 1,943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 amen Wow R. GLeYburneau Jan, 2, 1945'.

R. G. LE TOURNEAU 2366,272

CRANK PRESS Filed my 13, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 2 R. G, LeTourneau Jan. 2, 1945. R, G, E TO RNE U 2,366,272

CRANK PRESS I R. Gila Tourneau.

' Patented Jan. 2, 1945 j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CRANK PRESS Robert G. Le Tourneau, Peoria, Ill., assignor to R. G. -Le Tourneau, Inc.', Stockton, Calif., a corporation of California 4 Application July 13, 1943, Serial No. 494,586 7 Claims. (01. 100- suitable die holder H is mounted. The ram is This invention relates to heavy-duty presses, preferably of the vertical ram type; an object being to provide a mechanism for operating the ram. which includes a single throw crankshaft, and means for imparting rotation to the crank shaft from both ends and at relatively opposed points simultaneously. By so doing, I greatly reduce the torque load otherwise placed on the crankshaft if the power is applied to one end only of the shaft. This new arrangement also permits of the use of a smaller crankshaft to transmit a'given power than can now be employed, with a corresponding reduction in manufacturing costs.

The crankshaft operating mechanism includes a pair of synchronized electric motors, with clutch and brake units interposed between the motor and shaft. Another object of the invention is to control the clutches and brakes so that the brakes are applied automatically as the clutches are released and also simultaneously with such releasing. In this manner instant halting of the crankshaft and the ram is accomplished without any coasting and without stopping the motors.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the-purpose-for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure. 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of my improved press.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the press,-showing the ram and its connecting rod at the top of the stroke.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectionon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a diagram of the driving connec- Disposed in thecolumn is a hollow rectangular plunger or ram. 4, on the lower end. of which a slidably engaged on all sides by upper and lower sets of adjustable wear plates 5, the lower set being located in a plane adjacent the lower end of the ramwhen the latter is at the top of its stroke,.as shown in Fig. 2. I

A crankshaft 6 having a single crank l is disposed above the column with its crank centrally of the ram; the crankshaft being journaled in bearings 8 which are rigid with transverse plates 9 secured against the upper portions of the end plates 2. A connecting rod It engages the crank and depends into the ram from the upper end thereof, the rod being connected at its lower end with the ram by means of a cross pin l I mounted inthe latter intermediate its ends. The pin is sealed'at its ends inthe ram, as shown, and a cross wall i2 closes the ram a short distance below the pin so as to form an oil tight sump l3 about the pin andthe lower end of the connecting rod in which a supply of lubricant may be maintained.

Bull gears M are mounted on the ends of the shaft 6 beyond the bearings 8, being enclosed in housings l5 secured as a unit in connection with the plates 9 and the upper portion of the. column I. Each gear is engaged by a pinion It on one side, and near the bottom, as shown in Fig. 3, the pinions of the two gears engaging the same in opposed relation or on opposite sides, as indicated in Fig. 4.

Each pinion is fixed as a unit with a gear ll which in turn meshes with another pinion it, each gear and pinion unit being enclosed in an auxiliary housing l9 secured on the corresponding housing I5. A motor 25] drives the pinion 18, the motors of the two pinions being synchronized with each other. All the pinions and gears are helically cut, the helix angles being opposed on the two sets of gears, as indicated in Fig; 4.

An air operated clutch 2l of suitable type, such as that shown in the patent to O. R. Peterson and Fred H. Stevens, No. 2,351,876, dated June 20, 1944, isinterposed in the shaft line 22 of each motor and the corresponding pinion I8; the

clutch member nearest the pinion being arranged as a unit with a suitable brake 23 of the springengaged and air-released type. Each clutch and brake unit is mounted in a housing 24 projecting outwardly from the upper portion ofthe corresponding housing l9, as shown in Fig. 1; the corresponding motor in turn being secured against the outer end of housing 24. In order to steady the constantly turning motors as they are alternately placed under and relieved of load by corshaft of each motor is provided at its outer end with a fiy-wheel 25, which also provides reserve power when the ram is under heavy load.

It is desirable that the rotation of both gears l4 shall stop simultaneously and instantly and without any coasting When the motors are disconnected from drivingrelation with thepinionsl8 by a de-clutching action. To this .end Iprovide the following arrangement: The air feed lines 26 to both clutches are connected to a com, mon conduit 21, and likewise the air feed lines 28 to both brake release air cylinders are connected to a common conduit 29. Theconduits 2.1.

and 29 connect in common. with the-outlet of a suitable air valve 30. By this arrangement the clutches ar engaged and the brakesare released when the valve is turned to place conduits 21 and 29 in communication with the air feed line- 3|. When the valve is turned to place conduits 21 and 29 in communication with the exhaust port of the valve, the clutches are released and the brake springs act to set the brakes.

Rotation of the gear trains as a whole is thus instantl halted at the initial pinions l8, and since there is a considerablespeedreduction between said pinions and th gears M, no measurable amount of movement of the crankshaft will ever take place after the clutches are released.

' mounted on the column 1 below the various housings at a suitable level for convenience of the service man. This platform is arranged so as to enable such service man to walk all around" the various operating units of the press so that'he may efficiently and conveniently service' the same; access to the platform from the floor or ground being hadby means of a depending ladder 3-5.

' responding clutch or de-clutching operations, the

4 responding pinion and at the same time b ake From the foregoing description it will be read-.

ily seen that I haveproduced such adevice as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A press. includingan upstanding fixed column, a vertical ram slidable vertically therein, a horizontal crankshaft supported from the column above the ram, a connecting rod between the crankshaft and ram, bull gears on the crankshaft at its ends, separate gear trains each including a pinion engaging one of the gears on one side, housings fixed with the column in which the gear trains are mounted, and drive motors for'the separate gear trains projecting in opposite directions away from each other and supported on the corresponding housings.

2. In combination with a presswhichincludes a movable ram, a crankshaft beyond-one end-of the ram and a connecting-rod between the crank shaft and ram, of means to drive the crank shaft, such means comprising a separate motor at each side of the ram, a pinion mounted in driving relation with each motor and a train of reduction gears mounted in driving relation between each pinion and the respective ends of the crank shaft, and means to simultaneously break the driving relation between each motor and its corresponding pinion.

3. In combination with a press which includes a movable ram, a crank shaft beyond one end of the ram and a connecting rod between the crank shaft and ram, of means to drive the crank shaft,

such means, comprising a separate motor at eachuside of the ram, a pinion mounted in driving relation'with each motor and a train of reductiongears mounted in driving relation between each pinion andthe respective ends of the crank shaft, and means to simultaneously break the driving relation between each motor andits corthe rotation of the pinions.

4. In combination with a presswhich includes a movable ram, a crank shaft beyond one endoff the ram and a connectingrod between the. crank. shaftand ram, of meansto drive thecrank shaft. such means comprising a separate motor at each side of the ram, a pinion mounted in driving.re1a,- tion with each motor and a train of reduction, gears mounted in driving relationbetween each. pinion and the respective ends of the crankshaft, and means to simultaneously break the driving, relation between each motor and its .corres'pond:-= ing pinion; the pinions respectively engaging their adjacent gears at diametrally opposed points relative to the aXis of the crank shaft.

5. In combination with a press which includes,- a movable ram, a crank shaft beyond one end of the ram and a connecting rod between the, crank shaft and ram, of means .to drive .thecrank shaft, such means comprising aseparate motor at each side of the ram, a, pinion mountedin driving relation with each motor andva, trainbf reduction gears mounted in driving relationber tween each pinion and the respective ends, of the crank shaft, and means to simultaneously break the driving relation between each motorandits corresponding pinion; the, pinion and traiaof gears being helically cut.v

6. In combination with a press which includes. a movable ram, a crank shaft beyond one-.endpf the ram and a connecting rod. betweenthecrank shaft and ram, of meanstov drivehthecrankshaft, such means comprising aseparate motor at each side of the ram, a pinion mounted in driving-rev lation with each motor and a trainofj'reduction gears mounted in driving relationbetween each pinion and the respective-.endsof the crankshaft, and means to simultaneously break. thedriving relation between each motor and Racer respondingpinion; the pinion and train-of gears being helically cut, and-the helix anglesof thegear teeth of one pinion and its corresponding trainof gears being the opposite of those on the other pinion and its corresponding train of gears;

7. In combination with a-press whichincludes a movable ram, a crank shaft beyond" one endof the ram and a connecting rod between the crank shaft and ram, of meanstodrive theoran-k shaft, such means comprising a separate-motor a-teaoh side of the ram; a pinionmounted-in driving relation with each motor a-ndatraimof reduction gears mounted indriving-relation betweeneachpinion-and the respective ends-ofthe crank shaft, and means to simultaneously break the driving relation between each motor and its corresponding pinion and at the same time b'rake the rotation of the pinions; such latter two means comprising an air operated clutch and a. separate spring-engaged and air-released brake on each pinion shaft, an air supply line leading in common to both clutches, an air supply line leading in common to both brakes, a single air supply line connected in common to both of the first named supply lines, and a valve operable to 5 selectively admit air to the single supply line or to; exhaust it to the atmosphere.

' ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU. 

